On Stranger Tides

[MadEmperor]

"You'd better be," Gracia responded.

Taking on a lighter expression, she went to her desk and opened a drawer. "Now that that's out of the way, on to the socializing." She got out three glasses and a bottle of rum. "I was saving this for a special occasion. I think this qualifies, don't you?"

Thrax grinned. "Oh, definitely. Of course, if I had that I'd have drank it already."

Gracia laughed. "I think we're all well aware of your longstanding feud with impulse control."

[DragonSong]

"Eh, impulse control is overrated," Hana scoffed, grinning as she took the offered glass and lifted it up. "So! What are we toasting to? Friends? New journeys? The spectacularly hilarious awkwardness of finding out that both Thrax and I courted you at one point?"

[MadEmperor]

Thrax barked a laugh as he raised his glass. "I know, right? I almost choked on my ale when we realized it."

Gracia laughed warmly. "With the way you two got around, it was bound to happen eventually. So, all of the above, I guess?"

"Hear, hear!" the gnoll grinned, clinking his glass against theirs before knocking back the contents like it was water.

[DragonSong]

Hana rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath about Thrax being too heavy for her to cart through the desert when he passed out, but she was smiling, and downed her own glass nearly as quickly.

"Well, we're grateful for the lift, regardless," she said to the captain with a lopsided smirk.

[MadEmperor]

"Yeah. We couldn't have asked for a better ship or captain to get us this far," Thrax agreed with a smile.

Gracia chuckled. "Not in your price range, no," she said humbly.

"Hopefully this trip is profitable then! Then we can actually pay you with more than labor next time," Thrax said enthusiastically.

[DragonSong]

"And pshaw to that!" Hana added, raising her now-empty glass. "You and the Lady are the best we could have asked for at any price range."

Gracia rolled her eyes, but there was the faintest hint of a pleased, warm color in her cheeks. "You and that silver tongue," she said with a small chuckle. "It truly is a wonder it hasn't yet gotten you into more trouble."

[MadEmperor]

Thrax grinned, bumping shoulders with his girl. "Oh, I dunno about that. I'd say it's gotten us out of trouble far more often."

"At least she's gotten me out of a few unpleasant encounters before my gnollish battle lust comes out. My own silver tongue is no good when that happens." He put a hand on hers and smiled gratefully.